The Road Not Taken
by SuperNothing
Summary: Brian is getting married! And by telling his family this he breaks the heart of the one person who has ever really loved him. Can Brian mend his broken relationship with Stewie, or is it already to late? R&R Please! COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is just something that popped into my head one day after watching Family Guy, and it got me to thinking about what would happen if Brian & Jillian didn't break up. This is pretty much an experimental story, but I'd still like to know your thoughts & opinions on it. So R&R!

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 1:**

"Everyone..., would you come into the living room for a second? There's... uh... something that I gotta tell you." Brian called somewhat hesitantly as he entered the house and closed the door behind him. His voice and body shook as thoughts of what he was about to say entered his mind.

One by one the family came grudgingly down the stairs and made their way into the living room. Since none of them really wanted to be pulled away from their various tasks they all took their time. Meg and Chris were the first to arrive. Chris chasing Meg down the stares, shouting at her, until he fell down the last few stares, and laid dazed on the floor. Meg laughed cruelly at her brother. "That's what you get, fat ass, for trying to read my diary again!" She shouted triumphantly and crossed her arms.

Chris stood up and glared at her. "I wasn't TRYING to read it!" He shouted back throwing his hands in the air. "I was going to make copies of it and sell them to my friends. I figured with all of the BS going around in the media nowadays I could make a little money by showing people that they aren't as pathetic as you are!"

Meg stood their shocked for a few seconds before the tears started forming in her eyes. "FINE! If my life is so pathetic maybe I should just kill myself!!!"

It was at that moment that Lois and Peter came down the stares. Lois, having only heard the tale end of the argument, frowned disapprovingly at her daughter. "Meg! How many times must I tell you; no suicidal threats while Stewie's in the house! You know how impressionable he is. If you wanna kill yourself be like every other suicidal person and do it in the comfort of your own room, and away from your brother!"

Meg started to sob and covered her eyes with her hands. "You don't understand me at all!!!" She wailed.

"Excuse me everyone!!" Brian shouted suddenly over all of the noise. Trying to draw everyone's attention back to him so he could hurry up and get this over with. However, before he could say any more, another louder voice interrupted him.

"Oh. My. GOD!" Stewie shouted as he marched angrily down the stares to glare at his family, who were all staring at him. "Is it possible for you idiots to get ANY louder. I swear, I can actually, ALMOST, hear myself think! If you could just keep shouting at each other then maybe you could drown out the little voices in my head demanding that I destroy all of you!!!"

When he reached the bottom of the stares Lois smiled and picked him up. "Oh, someone's still a little cranky. Did we wake you from your nap sweetie. Mommy so sorry. Yes she is!" With that she showered her youngest son in kisses.

"I will rule you!!!" He shouted when he had finally broke free from her grasp, and jumped to the floor.

"Just wait a few minutes sweetie, and mommy will fix you a nice snack. Would you like that?" She asked sweetly as she gazed lovingly at her son. Seemingly unaware of the look on his face that promised her pain.

"Everyone!" Brian shouted, once again trying to get everyone's attention. Unfortunately for him, Peter chose to interrupt him this time.

"Geeze, Brian, what gives? You're more pushy than those weirdo's were when the new Harry Potter book first came out."

Lois turned to glare at her husband. "Peter, YOU were out there along with the rest of them waiting to buy the book! You camped out on a sidewalk for three days."

"Yeeeeeeah, I know. It was so magical!" Peter said his eyes glaring over as he thought of that wondrous book he had waited weeks to read.

"That's what I'm trying to tell all of you if you'd quit interrupting me!" Brian yelled slightly irritated by the way things were going. He had expected to insure chaos after his announcement, not _before_.

"Well, hurry the hell up, dog, I have a snacks that must be eaten!" Stewie replied after a minute crossing his arms and giving everyone his 'holier than thou' look.

Brian sighed and rubbed his eyes with his paws. When all remained quiet for a few second he gestured over to the couch. "You guys might want to sit down first." He said tiredly.

"Oh my god! You're not pregnant, are you?" Peter shouted his eyes going wide. "Because, Brian, we can't afford another mouth to feed. I mean, I guess we could get rid of Meg, but..."

"DAD!" Meg shouted outraged.

While at the same time Lois again glared at her husband. "What do you mean, 'We can't afford it.'? We were talking the other day about having another baby, and you said-"

Here she was cut off by Stewie who, in turn, glared at her. "Absolutely NOT! I am the infant of this family, and that is the way it will stay! With God as my witness, if I must destroy his sperm again, I shall!!!"

"Will you all please SIT DOWN!!!!" Brian shouted this time effectively silencing all of his family. Slowly they all went over to the couch and sat.

Stewie huffed and crossed his arms. "You don't have to yell, ingrate." He muttered under his breath as he passed Brian.

Again Brain sighed as he turned to face his family. Their questioningly looks making him pause for a second before continuing. "You guys all remember my girlfriend, Jillian?" He asked them quietly, knowing that it was a stupid question, but not knowing where else to begin.

Everyone nodded. "How can we forget that bimbo?" Stewie muttered angrily again crossing his arms as his eyes burned a hole in the wall behind Brian.

Brian felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise in warning as his eyes fell on Stewie. His tail drooped and he pulled at his collar nervously. This, he knew, would not go over well. "Well... I've been thinking a lot... about the future, and since Jillian is my girlfriend.. it's only natural for me to include her in that future. We've been going together for almost five years, and I thought... we thought... Well I thought about it, and she agreed-"

"Oh, spit it out already, man!" Stewie shouted angrily reeeeeeally not liking the direction any of this was going. At first he had never given Brian's girlfriend any real thought. He'd simply thought of her as one of Brian's skanks. Who would hang around and have sex with him until one, or both, of them wised up, and broke off the affair. But as he had gotten older and wiser he had noticed that that hadn't been the case, in Brian's relationship with _her, _at all! Instead of breaking up they had only gotten closer, and instead of convenient and easy sex they actually seemed to have some kind of damnable connection between them. Which he knew from his own love experiences wasn't a good thing... at least not for him, anyway.

"We're getting married!" Brian shouted quickly and suddenly. Watching as ever mouth in the house dropped open. It was silent for about two seconds before the fireworks, as he had known that they would, started.

"You can't be serious!" Lois and Meg both shouted at the same time looking outraged.

"Yah! I'm getting another sister!" Chris sang happily as he threw his arms in the air.

"Hahahahaha Sweeeeeet!" Peter laughed as he turned the page of the comic he had been reading.

During all of the noise and calamity that followed Stewie was the only one, out of all of the Griffins, who remained silent.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I don't have much to say. Just thanks for all of the wonderful reviews. Keep it up! ;)

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 2:**

"Brian, Just what the hell are you thinking?!" Lois shouted as she looked on in disbelief at her friend. "You can't possibly LOVE that woman! She has the intelligence of a two year old for Pete's sake!"

"Did someone call me?" Peter asked as he looked around questioningly his comic still clutched firmly in his hands.

"I said; 'Pete', Peter." Lois said absentmindedly not taking her eyes off of Brian.

"Oh." Peter said before going back to his magazine for a second before his head jerked back up, and he stared angrily at his wife. "And WHO the hell is this, Pete, Lois?" He asked putting his hands on his hips.

Lois sighed before turning to her husband. "It's an expression, Peter." She explained calmly.

"Ooooooh, so suddenly being married to me, someone who works in a beer factory, isn't good enough for you? You gotta start screwing around with some electrician!? You whore! I thought you loved meeeeeee!!!" Peter burst into tears and ran up the stairs.

Lois sighed and muttered something that sounded like "Idiot" under her breath as she rose from the couch. Half way across the room she turned to glare at Brian. "This discussion isn't over, Brian." She said purposefully before following her husband up the stairs.

"Brain, how could you do this!?" Meg screamed when her mother was out of sight.

"Well, Meg I-"

"I thought that you loved ME!!!"

The room was so silent that they could hear Peter's sobs from up the stairs. Brian rubbed his neck nervously his eyes shifting in every direction looking for an escape. "Meg, we've been through this a thousand time before. I don't-"

"Why would he love you?" Chris asked looking curiously at his sister. "Jillian hot! And you... well... you look like something that came out of a monster movie. Like the Wolf-Man!!!"

Meg started to cry and, she too, ran up the stairs with Chris at her heals screaming "Wolf-Man" loudly behind her.

Brian sighed tiredly as he turned back to the rooms only other occupant. Vaguely aware that, during this whole scene, Stewie had yet to say a word. It was with much trepidation that he brought his eyes up to meet the child's, and what he saw worried him.

Throughout all of the years that they had known each other Stewie's eyes had always been the most lively part about him. Even though he wasn't one to openly show what he was feeling Brian could always tell by looking into his eyes. Whether it had been fear, anger, annoyance, acceptance, love he had always known what kind of reaction to expect in him through his eyes. Now all he saw was emptiness and so much pain that it almost took his breath away.

Brian had been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed he had moved until he was standing in front of Stewie. Their sudden closeness startled him slightly, and he moved to step away until he felt a very light presence on his arm.

Stewie's hand moved of it's own accord making one last desperate attempt to make Brian remain close to him. The dogs presence had always calmed him and, in his rare moments of vulnerability, allowed him to think properly. Now was no exception. When he had first noticed that Brian was moving towards him he had become fearful. Not fear for himself, he knew that Brian would never intentionally hurt him physically, but fear for Brian.

In his distraught state he didn't know what he would do to the dog. Part of him wanted to hurt him. To make Brian feel just one-tenth of the pain that he was feeling at this moment. And their was another part that wanted to run away from him. To go lock himself in his room and cry until he fell into a restless slumber that, he knew, would be worse than his reality. But there were other parts of him as well. The part of him that was a scientist, and the part that was so deeply, and desperately, in love with Brian that demanded that he remained where he was.

And it was with those parts in mind that he uttered the one word that he had wanted to know since that abomination had first come into Brian's life: "Why?"

Brian sighed and looked away from the troubled dark eyes. From the pain that was emanating so strongly from them that he would have to be blind not to notice it. This was what he had feared all along. This confrontation. Because he knew that no matter what he said, or did, to comfort him, Stewie was still going to get hurt, and there was nothing that he could do to prevent that.

"You had to know that this would happen eventually, Stewie." Brian said trying to be as gentle as he could. "Did you expect me to just keep lusting after Lois for the rest of my life?"

Anger briefly flashed through Stewie's eyes as he glared at Brian. "Of course I didn't! I'm not that imbecile that you're marr... that... I knew that you'd find someone... I just... I always thought that...." Stewie felt tears pricking at his eyes and quickly wiped them away. With deep, slow, shaky breaths he finally managed to finish his thoughts. "I always thought that I'd have more time."

"More time to what?" Brian asked curiously knowing a second after he said it that it had been the wrong thing to ask.

Stewie jumped off of the couch and pushed Brian away from him. This time the anger staying in his eyes and his glare returning full-force. "More time to get over you, you imbecile!!! Don't tell me you're so stupid that you haven't figured out that I've been in love with you for YEARS!!! Ever Chris can't be THAT blind!"

Brian felt his mouth drop open before quickly snapping it shut again, but it was already to late Stewie noticed and gave Brian a disgusted look. "Oh. My. GOD! You really had no clue, did you? I spent years, practically, throwing myself at you, and you had no idea! No fucking IDEA that I was even doing it!"

Stewie pushed pasted Brian and moved to storm up the stairs, but before he had even climbed one a quiet voice from behind him made him freeze on the spot. "I knew." Brian whispered watching on baited breath as Stewie slowly turned to face him. "I knew that you liked me. I knew that you'd formed some sort of crush on me... But I had no idea that you lo-cared for me so much. I'm sorry, Stewie."

Stewie stared at him for a few seconds before smiling bitterly at him. "It doesn't matter, does it? My love doesn't matter one bit to you because you can never feel for me what I feel for you. That's why you're marrying that tramp, isn't it? Because Lois will never feel for you what you feel for her?"

Brian couldn't help but wince, and instantly Stewie knew that he had been right. "We're in the same situation, Brian, and we have been for years. The only difference between us is that now you have the means to move on. You have someone who can help you forget the one you love, or at least make the pain lessen. I can't have that, and I don't want it because loving you is the only thing that I have left that makes me feel human. And if the pain from loving you is the only thing that lets me keep my humanity then I'd don't want to give that up. Not now, or ever."

Brian could do nothing but watch as the tears began to fall from Stewie's eyes. The shear power of the child's stare, of his infinite knowledge and wisdom, rooting him to his spot long after Stewie had left him standing alone in the living room. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that he finally came out of his trance. Instantly his legs gave out from under him, and he fell to the floor. "Oh god," He whispered as one by one the tears began to flow, "what have I done?"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:**Good news everyone! I've finished this story, so that means that there will be no terribly looooong breaks between updates... unless of course my Internet gets cut off, but I don't think that that will happen any time soon. But anyways keep the reviews coming peoples! They will help me if I decide to do a sequel for this.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 3:**

"I honestly don't know what he's thinking!? Why, on Earth, would he marry that woman? And so suddenly too? It doesn't make any sense!" Lois complained loudly as she scrubbed the plate she was holding with such force that it broke in two. She swore and angrily threw the plate into the trash.

Stewie could do nothing but glare at her, as he sat at the table, through slightly puffy eyes. _'It makes perfect sense if you look at it logically! This is all _your_ fault.' _He thought his long-time hatred of his mother returning after years of remaining trapped inside of him. _'If it wasn't for you he wouldn't need to try and feel the void inside of him. He wouldn't NEED to marry her in an attempt to stop loving YOU! Damn you to hell!'_

In a meager display of hatred and irritation he took the glass that sat untouched beside him and knocked it to the ground.

Lois whirled around to see the mess on the floor before narrowing her eyes at her son. "Stewie! Now look at the mess that I have to clean up! As if I don't have enough to do around here!" Grudgingly she grabbed some napkins and started soaking up some of the juice that had spilt all over the floor.

Stewie only continued to glare at her, and waited until she had knelt directly under his chair before he knocked his lunch off of the table as well.

Lois shrieked when the assortment of food hit her and raised to tower angrily over Stewie. "That is IT, young man! I want you to go to your room right now! You're old enough to know better than to be acting like-"

Stewie cut her off as he jumped out of his chair and away from her. "And you SHOULD be old enough to know when someone is making a pass at you you stupid whore!!! He tried to have sex with you! You were married to him while Peter was away! And yet you did nothing! You let his feelings fester inside of him until now that he's so desperate that he's willing to throw away the rest of his life to try and forget about you! This is your fault! My heart is breaking, and all of it is YOUR FAULT!!!"

"Now don't you back-sass me, Mister! Go to your room NOW!" Lois scream and pointed out of the kitchen.

Tears formed in Stewie's eyes and quickly he brushed them away. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I HATE YOU! My life is over and you don't even care! I hope you burn in hell for what you've done to me!!!" That said he ran out of the room as fast as his legs could carry him.

He had to get away from her. From this house. From his life in general. He was only six years old. He didn't know how to deal with problems as complicated as love and feelings. So he did the only thing he knew how to do; he ran. He ran threw the living room, and out the front door. It opened before he could reach it, but he kept his head down and he kept running. Vaguely he could hear panicked voices calling out to him, but he pushed them aside. Only one thought flew threw his mind as he ran down the block; _'I can't stop. I can't stop. I can't stop.'_ And that was all of the motivation that he needed.

With his head down and his eyes clinched shut, to try and stop the tears from coming, he ran blindly down the sidewalk. Knowing that all it would take is just one stumble, for him to trip once, and they would find him and make him go back to that place. Unfortunately, even Stewie, couldn't run for long without looking where he was going, and eventually he did trip. A block and a half away from his house.

The pain flowed through his mind as he lay panting on the sideways. To exhausted, emotionally and physically, to bother to pick himself up. When he opened his eyes he saw that his hands had been shredded when he'd instinctively reached out to catch himself. Both his hands and knees felt like they were on fire, but he didn't care. He relished in that pain because it allowed him, however briefly, to escape the heartache he was feeling. "If there is a God," He muttered weakly as he buried his face in his arms, "you'd let me die now, so that I don't have to go back to that house. So that I don't have to watch him with her, and pretend that I'm not dieing inside. If there was a God then you'd save me the pain of me having to watch him smile as she walks down the aisle. Please, I can't do this. I can't."

"Stewie?" It was a quiet voice that was spoken barely above a whisper, but he winced anyways as if he had been shouted at. _'God really does hate me.'_ He thought as he tried to dry his eyes on his wet and bloodied sleeves before raising his head and turning to look at the speaker.

"Stewie, what are you doing?" Brian asked quietly, trying not to scare Stewie any further, as he tentatively approached him. "Are you alright? What happened back there?"

Stewie sighed but his eyes narrowed when he felt another tear fall down his cheek. Quickly he wiped it away, hating himself for his own weakness, and also making Brian notice his scratched and bleeding hands. "My God, your bleeding!" Brian shouted as he threw caution to the wind and quickly closed the distance between himself and the child.

Stewie tensed but sat up, noticing for the first time the two red splotches that covered on his pants where his knees were. He barely had time to register it before Brian took his hands in his own, careful of his injuries. He winced and made to pull away, but Brian's grip on him tightened. Stewie turned to glare at the dog, but the moment their eyes met, his face fell and he remembered why he was running to begin with.

"What happened?" Brian asked him calmly as he looked over the deep cuts on Stewie's hands.

"I'd always thought," Stewie began ignoring Brian's question completely as he focused on something that only he could see, "somewhere in the back of my mind... Even though I knew that it would never be possible, but I had hoped... God, how I hoped. That when and if you ever got married it would be... to me."

Brian's eyes widened, but he remained silent. Stewie's voice sounding so broken and desperate that he wouldn't dare to interrupt him. "It was a foolish dream, I know, but growing up you were my only friend. I never knew anything else... just you. And after everything we went through together, I guess I thought, that one day you would wake up and realize that you were my entire world... But that never was the case.... And it still isn't. Because your world consists of other people. Other people you can turn to when I'm not around. You've got; Peter, Joe, Cleveland, Quagmire, Lois, and... and _her_! I don't have that, Brian, even after all of this time you're still the only one I have. Because everyone else can't, or won't, listen to me.

"I guess that's why I'm telling you all of this. Because there is no one else that I can talk to... Well, there is Rupert, but he's just as horrible at these kinds of feelings as I am..." Stewie sighed tiredly and looked into the eyes of the being that he loved more than anything else in the world. Tears ran down his cheeks and a sad bitter smile played at his lips. "I have to talk to you about what I'm feeling for you because no one else will hear, and understand, me... God, you must think that I'm pathetic!"

Brian couldn't help by stare into the sad tormented eyes of his friend. Eyes that had known and seen far to much for someone so young. It had always been so hard for him to remember Stewie's age at times because of the way he spoke and acted. But he was still just a little kid, and he was experiencing something a little kid should never have to experience at this age; a broken heart.

Brian sighed, and in one quick motion, pulled Stewie against him. He heard Stewie's panicked shaking gasp and closed his eyes against the guilt that was threatening to suffocate him. He knew that by hugging him like this he was doing nothing more than leading the poor child on. But the way that Stewie had been acting around him since he had told him about his engagement, the broken and lifeless way in which he now carried himself, was entirely to painful for Brian to endure on a regular basis. It was better to let Stewie live out even just a small portion of his fantasy than to see him like this every day.

In the back of his mind Brian marveled at the way they seemed to fit together. Stewie had grown some in the last five years so that he was almost as tall as Brian now, and their bodies just seemed made to be together like this. He sighed again when he felt Stewie hesitantly put his arms around him and instinctively tightened his hold on him.

The thing that frightened him most about this whole experience was that he knew, that had Stewie been an adult, he would probably give into his desires and choose him over Jillian. Stewie had been right when he'd said that Brian was only marrying her to help him forget about Lois. He didn't really love Jillian, at least, not enough to marry her. She had always ever been a distraction to him, as cruel as it was to say.

But Stewie... If he could only give him a chance, Brian knew that with time he would be able to feel the void his love for Lois had left in his heart. That in time, he could love Stewie exactly like he loved Lois. Possible even more than he loved Lois... But he couldn't. As much as he wanted to give Stewie the chance he was silently begging for. Society would never except them, and he couldn't put Stewie through the pain that they would endure should he except his offer.

All it would take was for him to push him away, no matter how gently he did it, and whatever hope Stewie had managed to gather in the last few seconds would be shattered beyond repair. It was that thought alone that made the tears form in his own eyes, but he quickly blinked them away. He had to be strong... for Stewie's sake if nothing else.

And it was with that thought in mind that made Brian gently began to untangle himself from Stewie.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

The panic that seemed to flow through him was almost instantaneously. The very second that Brian started to move away from him his mind demanded that he do something to fix it, but then his rationality kicked in and he realized that there was nothing he COULD do to fix it. Sure, he could be stubborn and tighten his own hold around Brian, but in reality what would that do for him? Buy him a few more seconds pressed against someone who wanted nothing more than to be away from him? Allow him to continue deluding himself that Brian was his, and nothing could separate them ever again?

Yes, it was a pretty picture, and a nice dream... but at the end of the day it was still just that; a dream. A dream that, for him, would only ever be a dream.

There had been a part of him, a small foolish part, that had hoped that when Brian had embraced him with such passion, and so protectively, that he had excepted Stewie's feelings. And that, in his own way, Brian was admitting his own feelings that he had been repressing all of these years for Stewie. But looking into those dark pain filled eyes he knew that that wasn't the case. It was while searching those eyes that he had understood what Brian was trying to do for him. And, while he hated himself for admitting it even to himself, it wasn't enough.

He didn't want Brian allowing him to live out a part of his fantasy. He wanted _Brian_ to share his fantasy with him! He wanted for Brian to feel for him what he felt when he held Lois, or even when he held.... _her_! But Brian hadn't felt ANY of that. To him he might as well have been doing him a favor. A self-sacrificing favor, but a favor none the less!

He wanted more than anything else to be angry, to be outraged, at Brian for toying with him like he was nothing more than a doll... but when he looked into those dark eyes all he felt was tired. To much had happened today. To much had been said that shouldn't have. And in the end he'd ended up in twice as much pain than when he had started. All he wanted now was to go to sleep. To just go back to that damnable house, go to his room, lock the door, and go to sleep. He thought that he'd deserved that much, if nothing else.

"Take me back now?" He asked pleadingly wincing a moment later when he realized what he had just said. "To the house." He added just to make sure Brian knew what he meant.

Brian smiled sadly at him before nodding, and helped Stewie to his feet. He stood for about three seconds before the pain in his knees became to much for him, and his legs gave out from under him. He hit the ground hard making tears come to his eyes as he realized just how much his injuries really hurt him.

Stewie swore quietly under his breath as he tried, and failed, again to stand. Luckily Brian was prepared for it this time, and caught him before his knees could once again collide the concrete. "Are you alright?" Brian asked worryingly his voice radiating concern.

"Peachy, and you?" He said sarcastically when the pain subsided enough to let him think clearly. _'The next time you decided to run with your eyes closed, don't.' _A small condescending voice in the back of his head chided him. Stewie frowned before telling the voice where it could shove its advice. "I'm not really sure that I can walk though." He said after a few more seconds hating himself for it. "I think my knees are, pretty much, shot right now."

Brian sighed and used the hand that wasn't supporting Stewie to rub his eyes. "You should have told me you were in pain."

Stewie glared up at him defiantly. "I WASN'T in pain before. What with all of the feelings, and our little heart-to-heart I didn't really think about something as insignificant as cuts and scraps."

Brian returned Stewie's glare for about a minute before realizing that it was entirely pointless. Again he sighed, and crouched down beside him. "Whatever, just get on my back. I'll carry you."

Brian waited for Stewie to move for several seconds before he turned to look questionably at him. Stewie's eyes were wide and his face was visibly paler. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

This time it was Stewie who sighed and rubbed his eyes. "You really DO hate me, don't you?" He muttered seemingly to himself.

"Who are you talking to?" Brian asked curiously turning his head slightly.

"God."

"Since when do you believe in God?"

"Since he sees fit to torture me." Stewie answered quietly looking in any direction but where Brian was standing.

Brian's eyes widened as he suddenly realized what was wrong. Instantly he cursed himself for his insensitivity. "Sorry, I... uh... I wasn't thinking. I'd go get Lois, but I don't really want to leave you hear by yourself. And you said it hurts you to much to stand, so..."

Stewie rolled his eyes his irritation visible. "Please, Brian, I'm not some horny high school boy who's going to jump you the minute your back's to me. I've got more self-control than THAT."

Brian could feel his face heating up despite his best effort to control his embarrassment. "WHAT!? No! I know that you wouldn't do that! But if it makes you so uncomfortable then I just thought..."

"We're both going to have to get used to me being uncomfortable around you, aren't we? There's no other option for us."

Brian looked away as a pain expression momentarily ran through Stewie's eyes. Brian knew that he was trying to be strong. As strong as a six year old could be in this situation... Not that he'd ever heard of that happening before, but Stewie was trying. "Stewie-"

"Save it, Brian, we've talked about this enough to last ME a lifetime. I just want to rest awhile before we have to bother with these petty feelings of mine again. Okay?"

Brian sighed, inside of him, he felt like his heart was burning. Seeing Stewie depressed and lifeless hurt him, but seeing him trying so desperately to hide his feelings from him hurt him just as much, if not more. Even though it was the last thing he wanted to do, Brian decided to drop the subject for now. Instead he nodded and waited for Stewie to climb onto his back before he moved to wrap his arms around Stewie's legs.

Any movement of any kind seemed to make his legs burn as if they were on fire, but that pain was nothing compared to the hurricane of emotions that was streaming through his head. He knew it was only for a block and a half, but having to be so close to Brian for even that long was destroying him. He could smell Brian's scent so clearly that it invaded every inch of him. He could feel the heat from Brian body as it warmed his own. But it was when Brian arm tightened around his legs that he couldn't hold back the moan, of sorrow, pain, and such desire that it left him breathless, any longer.

Instantly he felt Brian stiffen underneath him, and quickly pretended to cough. Hoping that the dog would believe in his less that terrific acting skills and not question him about it.

"You alright?" Brian asked not knowing what to make of the noise he had heard from Stewie, or the authenticity of his coughing fit.

"Go." It was all he said. All his brain would allow him to say as he tried to keep as much space between them as he could. A block and a half had never seemed so long before.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

"Brian wait!" Stewie spoke suddenly startled away from his troubled thoughts when he noticed that they were standing right outside of the house, and that Brian was reaching for the door knob.

Brian's ears perked curiously and he turned his head to try and see Stewie. "What?"

Stewie lowered his gaze, ashamed that he had to ask for help with such a matter, but knowing that he had no other choice. "I don't want Lois to touch me." He said quietly.

"What?"

"As soon as we get inside Lois will run up to us, and try to hold me... I don't want to be around her right now, but I can endure it just as long as she doesn't touch me."

"Stewie, she's your mother!" Brian pointed out softly. "She's going to want to know that your okay."

Stewie turned to glare at him. "Then put me down, and I'll act like I'm okay!" He shouted angrily. "I'll endure whatever pain I need to just as long as she doesn't need to come near me."

Brian sighed the events of the day really wearing on his nerves. "You know that she's probably been worried sick about you. The whole U.S. Army couldn't stop her from getting to you. What makes you think that I can do anything?"

"Why do I even bother?" Stewie muttered under his breath so low that Brian would have missed it completely if they hadn't been so close. "Listen I'm not asking for you to hurt her or anything. I'm just asking for you to keep her away from me long enough to allow me to go into my room. That's all."

"But what about your cuts? You need someone to clean and bandage them for you. And besides, you can barely walk! How do you think you'll be able to climb the stairs?"

"I told you that I'll endure it. My knees don't even hurt that much anymore, and I'm not incompetent I can take care of my injuries myself. Now put me down!"

Brian shook his head, but did as he was told and lowered Stewie carefully to the ground.

The instant he put pressure on his knees he felt them jerk out from under him. He clutched Brian's arm tightly to try and stable himself, and shut his eyes against the pain.

"Stewie, this is ridiculous!" Brian shouted as he wrapped his other arm around Stewie to try and support him. "You're obviously in pain. Just let me carry you, and suffer though whatever problems you're having with Lois. It isn't worth you hurting yourself like this."

Stewie sighed and rested his head tiredly against Brian. "Yes it is, Brian." He whispered sadly as he closed his eyes inhaling deeply to allow Brian's scent to fill him. "I can never forgive her for what she took away from me."

Brian's eyes widened and suddenly the reason Stewie had run from the house so desperately to begin with made sense. "Stewie, I..."

"Don't. Just... please, keep her away from me, and let me worry about myself."

Brian smiled sadly and rubbed Stewie's back comfortingly. "I'll try, but neither one of the things your asking of me is going to be easy for me to do."

Stewie smiled as he opened his eyes and gently pushed Brian away from him trying his best to ignore the pain. "Thank you. I'm ready."

"Alright then."

Stewie had been right when he said that Lois would run to them the moment they were in the house. Her eyes were wide with worry and guilt as she neared them. Brian felt Stewie tense beside him, and had an almost undeniable urge to push him behind him to try and protect him from his mother. Although he couldn't really explain his reasons for wanting to do such a thing.

"Stewie! My baby! Mommy is so..."

She didn't get much further than that before Stewie took off running as fast as he could with his injuries. Which was faster than Brian had expected given how much pain he knew the kid was in. Before anyone could blink Stewie was half-way up the stairs. His face contorted with pain, but his eyes blazing with fierce determination. Then he vanished from view completely, and two seconds later the sound of a slamming door filled the house.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** This is probably the most trying a/n that I've had to write, but I need you (the readers & reviewers) of this story to go to my profile and vote on the poll that I've set up. This story will not be effected by the results of this poll, but the sequel for this story will be. And yes, I am doing a sequel for this story. But it just might not be up as soon as I thought it would be.

The next ch. for this fic. probably won't be up for about a week. Since I'm going to concentrate on updating my other fics. first.

But, anyways, I've left a note under the list of things I'm currently working on that explains more in-depth what I'm planning on doing.

* * *

**Chapter 6:**

"Hey Lois," Brian began timidly as he watched her prepare tonight's dinner. "Can I ask you a question?"

Lois looked up from the ham that she was preparing to put in the oven, and looked curiously over at Brian before a light smile touched her lips. "Sure, Brian, if I can ask you one as well."

"Okay... Is it alright if I go first?" He asked pretty sure he knew what she wanted to know, and knowing that if she went first he probably wouldn't get to ask his question. At her nod he proceeded. "What were you and Stewie arguing about earlier?"

Lois sighed and, after putting the ham in the oven, came to sit at the table with Brian. She propped her head up with her hands and said, "I'm not entirely sure, to tell you the truth. Ever since you told us about your engagement, he's been really ornery. I was washing dishes, and he knocked over his juice cup. And when I went to clean it up he dumped his lunch all over me! I told him to go to his room, and he just started screaming that everything was my fault... I honestly don't know what's gotten into him lately? He's never behaved like this before. It's like he hates me now..."

This time it was Brian's turn to sigh. Lois was a wonderful woman. She was smart, funny, and one of the nicest people he had ever met. But sometimes she could be so blind. Especially when it came to Stewie. And it was incredibly difficult not to get annoyed with her because of it. "Have you ever thought that.. maybe he thinks that I'm just marrying Jillian to get over my... crush on you?" He asked curiously.

Lois stared at him for a second before she started to laugh lightly. "Don't be ridiculous, Brian. He's only six! He couldn't possibly understand everything that's happening."

_'You'd be surprised at just how much he _does_ understand... If only you'd take the time to listen...' _Brian thought starting to see exactly what Stewie was talking about when he said that Lois didn't listen to him. In some sort of way this kinda proved exactly how little Lois actually knew Stewie. In her mind Stewie was still her sweet, innocent, angelic little boy who had no worries and not a care in the world... The reality was so different from the fantasy that Lois chose to live her life by. Vaguely Brian wondered just what she would think if she ever realized how wrong she had been about him.

"I guess..." He said quietly.

"Now it's my turn... Brian, why are you _really_ marrying Jillian? You can't possibly love her, can you?"

"Perhaps..." Brian began wondering just how much of the truth that he should tell her. As he looked into her curious dark eyes he thought of her son who had probably locked himself in his room so that no one would see his pain as the tears ran down his face. _'I wonder if he even bothered to take care of his hands and knees at all. Maybe I should check on him... But my presence probably doesn't make any of this any easier for him. It probably just hurts him more...'_

"Brian?" Lois said quietly, but loudly enough to allow him to break away from his wondering mind. "You okay? For a minute there, you looked like the world was ending."

_'Maybe it is... Maybe our worlds really are ending. Both his and mine...'_ Brian shook his head trying to rid himself from his morbid thoughts. "What if he was right Lois?" He asked her softly.

"Who?"

"Stewie. Let's just say that Stewie really DID think that I was marrying Jillian JUST to get over you. What if he was right?" He asked looking into the eyes of the woman he had loved for many years. "What would you say?"

Lois looked at Brian as if he had just sprouted wings and started flying around the kitchen. "Weeeeeeell," She spoke slowly seriously thinking about what he was asking her, but not really believing that it was the actual reason. "I would say that you're making a huge mistake... Brian, you don't marry someone to try and get over someone else. You marry them because you love them, and honestly want to be with them. You marry them because you want to spend the rest of you life with that person. To keep them safe, and hold them when they cry. Because when they smile everything in your life suddenly seems to be a little better... A little brighter...

"Do you understand what I'm saying Brian? If Stewie actually could think that you were marrying Jillian just to get over me then I would advise you, as a friend, to not go through with this."

Brian sat silently for a few seconds as he thought over all that she had just told him. She had answered his question as honestly as she was able, and that was more than what he had been expecting of her. But instead of making his decision easier she had only made it that much more complicated. And while she had answered his one question she had created another. One that was demanding to be voiced, but also one that terrified him to even consider. However, Lois had no idea that she had answered a question to an actual problem. To her they had been speaking of a hypothetical issue, so really what harm could be done by voicing his thoughts?

Brian took a deep breath, hating himself for what he was about to ask, but knowing that it was something he had to know. "What if..." He paused trying to form the question in a way that wouldn't upset her.

Lois smiled encouragingly and rested her hand on Brian paw giving it a comforting squeeze. "Go on." She urged kindly.

"What if, hypothetically speaking of course, the reason that Stewie has been so irritable lately is because... because he's in love with me, and he's sad that I'm choosing someone else over him?"

Brian winced at the look that Lois gave him. So many emotions flashed across her face that it was difficult for him to tell exactly what she was thinking. "Why would you ask me that, Brian?" She asked him finally after minutes spent in silence.

"Just curious..." He said unable to hold her gaze any longer.

"Brian... I know that you've been having a tough time lately... and I understand if that's been making you think about different things in your life... But if you believe for one second that Stewie, my baby who is SIX years old, is in love with you-"

"And WHAT, exactly, would you do if I told you that I was!?"

Lois and Brian both jumped at the loud angry voice that sliced through the air like daggers. Brian whirled around to see Stewie, still in the same clothes as earlier, leaning casually against the wall glaring at his mother.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

"Stewie? Sweetie, what are you doing in here?" Lois asked as she jumped from her chair her eyes widening when she noticed the dried blood stains on his pants and hands.

"Apparently," Stewie began lightly his cold eyes shifting quickly to Brian before jumping back to his mother. "I'm interrupting a discussion that I SHOULD be a part of. Tell me, _mother_, what WOULD you do if I told you that I love Brian so much that I can't stand if? That I've spent _years_ silently lusting after him while I watched him throw himself at you only for you to push him away? What would I you do if you knew that the thought of him marrying that tramp practically kills me on the inside? That it breaks my heart to see someone, that I could have never had anyway, be _taken_ away from me with no thought or remorse for my own feelings?

"Tell me NOW! What would YOU do about it? I'm DIEING to know?"

The rooms temperature suddenly seemed to drop ten degrees. The tension in the air was so thick that Brian could actually feel in creeping into his lungs trying to suffocate him. Brian glanced nervously at Lois knowing, without knowing, that whatever she said next would dramatically effect her relationship with her son forever.

"Stewie... I know your upset with Mommy right now, but I don't think that-"

"Stop doing that!!!" Stewie screamed angrily. "Stop talking to me like I'm an incompetent idiot who couldn't possibly understand what your doing here! I'm NOT an idiot Lois!"

"Stewie, listen to me-"

"NO! YOU listen to ME! What do I have to do to make you understand!? All of my life you've acted like I was beneath you. Like, just because I'm young that I couldn't possibly understand that the world isn't made up of rainbows and smiley faces! And I'm asking you... No... I'm _begging_ for you to stop. I'm begging for you to just open your ears and listen to what I have to say. To stop treating me like your baby, your six year old, and treat me as your equal... Please. Just listen to me."

Stewie looked desperately at his mother begging for her to hear what he was saying. If he noticed the tears that had collected in his eyes he ignored them. As he also ignored Brian, his physical discomfort, and every other being in the house. The only thing that existed for him in that moment was the woman standing in front of him.

"Baby," Lois said after several seconds of silence, "maybe it's best if you go and take a quick nap before dinner. You seem a bit cranky today." She smiled warmly at her son.

Instantly the desperation and tears were gone from his eyes, and the ice cold glare returned. But instead of saying anything further Stewie pushed himself away from the wall, stumbling a little at the sudden pressure up on his injuries, and stalked over to Brian. In one quick motion he grabbed Brian's paw, and pulled him roughly from the chair.

Brian yelped at the sudden movement, but was fortunate enough not to fall flat on his face. He felt Stewie's fingers digging painfully into his arms, but couldn't find the will to struggle and break the hold. He looked questionably at the child's face. Noting that during this whole display Stewie had yet to look at him. "Stewie?" He whispered uneasily knowing that whatever Stewie had planned it couldn't end well.

Stewie's eyes narrowed further at the sound of Brian's quiet concerned voice, but he couldn't find it in himself to turn to meet the questioning stare. Knowing that if he did the anger would drain out of him, and he would loose his nerve. Instead he kept his hate filled glare locked tightly on his mother, and whispered in a deadly voice full of venom. "You WILL hear me, Lois! I won't allow you to keep humiliating me like this."

With that said he finally turned to Brian and kissed him fully on the mouth. Knowing that, finally, Lois had heard him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

No one moved. It was as if the three of them had been trapped in some bizarre fantasy in which the world had stopped turning, and time stood still. Stewie was determined to make her understand, and if that meant staying like this for the rest of his natural life then he would willingly do it.

He had always imagine what kissing Brian would feel like. Not kiss him wearing a disguise, or to get them out of some random misfortune, but to actually kiss him just because he wanted to. He'd always thought that if that moment ever came then the rest of the world would fade away, so that nothing else would exist except for the two of them. That in that moment he would experience such happiness and bliss that he would never want to break away again.

He didn't feel that way now. Lois, in her ignorance and sheer lack of will to understand, had made him take his beautiful and perfect fantasy, and twist and distort it until he didn't even recognize the dreams that he had once had. It made him feel dirty, disgusting, and wrong. As he stood there with his lips firmly pressed against Brian's he glared at her for all that she had destroyed and taken from him.

This kiss wasn't about his raging emotions, or the love and happiness he felt when he thought of Brian. This kiss was about getting her to understand. Making her understand something that she, until now, chose to ignore. He was taking away her free will, and making her listen to him. And by the look on her face now she was hearing him loud and clear. It was that thought, and that alone, that brought a smile to his lips.

_'This is wrong!' _Brian thought desperately as he stared into Stewie's cold heartless eyes. In the back of his mind he pitied Lois because he knew that all of that hatred was focused specifically on her.

Brian willed his body to move. To do something, anything, to put a stop to what was happening to him. But he couldn't. Stewie's actions had cast some sort of dark spell over both him and Lois that prevented them from doing anything to keep him from proving his point. But that still didn't make him feel any better about what was happening to him.

It wasn't the simple fact that Stewie was kissing him. Or that he was doing it just to spite Lois. The thing that bothered him most about all of this was the fact that, had the situation been different, he knew that he wouldn't be able to stop himself from kissing back. From liking the light pressure of Stewie's soft lips against his own. That he wouldn't be satisfied with just one kiss, or even two, he would want Stewie to ravage him until he was so exhausted that neither of them could move. And that in these moments of weakness he couldn't trust his mind to tell his body to stop before things went beyond just kissing.

Stewie's smile make a shudder shoot up Brian's spine. He felt a moan of longing rise in his throat, but quickly bit his tongue to prevent it from escaping.

And then, the next thing he knew, his eyes had locked with Stewie's and the spell was broken. Brian felt his arm twitch, but whether it was to push Stewie away or draw him closer Brian would never know. It seemed that, the same time his spell had been lifted, so had Lois'. She reached them a second later, and jerked Stewie away from him.

Even in his still shocked state Brian couldn't miss the triumphantly bitter smile that ghosted over Stewie's lips.

"Stewie!!!" Lois shouted as she turned the child to face her. "What do you think that you're doing!?"

Stewie did nothing but continued to smile that same smile, but now there was a strange sadness in his eyes. A sadness that Brian, try as he might, couldn't place. "Do you understand now, Lois? Do you?" He whispered venomously.

Lois let go of Stewie as if merely touching him burnt her, and her gaze skated to Brian. "Brian... I want you to go and get Jillian. NOW! I want her to be here, with you, at dinner tonight. And I don't want to hear anymore nonsense... from EITHER of you about... about _this_! Now go!"

"Lois," Brian began carefully, wincing when her eyes narrowed at him, "I don't think that-"

"I said GO!!!" She roared then quickly stood and went back to fixing her dinner. Pretending as if the two of them simply didn't exist.

Stewie stared longingly at his mother. _'It's useless.'_ He thought his face openly displaying just how defeated he felt inside. _'I sacrificed something, just now for you, and yet you still think of me as nothing more than a child. I can't do this anymore, Lois. I gave up something for you that I'll never be able to get back... Now I'm just giving up on you...'_

Stewie glanced shamefully at Brian to find the dog watching him carefully. Normally he would have tried to hide just how miserable he felt. Now he didn't even bother. With one last glance at his mother he motioned for Brian to follow him into the living room.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **Well, this is the last ch. for this fic. I've really had a ball writing this, and I'm happy that everyone's responded so well to the story. The poll is still going on right now, and currently this fic. is winning. So if things continue on in that matter then I'll start posting the sequel in 2 weeks.

* * *

**Chapter 9:  
**"Listen," Stewie began quietly to make sure his voice didn't carry on to reach his mothers listening ears, "I know you're probably angry with me for what I did... And know that if I could take it back, I would. But for now can we just-"

"I'm not angry with you." Brian said careful to also keep his voice down.

Stewie glared at him through tired eyes. "I just said that I know you are, so if you just... You're not?"

"No. I'm not."

"Why? It's not like you don't have the right to be... I shouldn't have did.. that to you. And I would understand it if-"

Brian chuckled and put his hands on his hips. "Let me get this straight. Your arguing with me BECAUSE I'm not angry with you?"

Again Stewie glared at him crossing his arms. "I'm not arguing with you. I'm simply stating that... Why AREN'T you angry with me!" He said a little louder than before his frustration over this situation obvious.

Brian sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I can understand why you did what you did. You wanted her to hear you, and that was the only way to make her hear you... I'm just sorry it didn't work..."

"As am I, Brian. You can't imagine how sorry I am... To both of you."

"Why do you need to be sorry to me? I just told you I'm not mad at you."

Stewie shrugged sadly. "It just seems fitting to apologize to someone when you force them into an uncomfortable situation for all of the wrong reasons." He muttered so softly that Brian could barely hear him.

They stood in a companionably awkward silence for several minutes. Stewie trying to control his raging emotions, and Brian trying to give him the room he needed to do such a thing. When he finally felt that he could speak without his voice breaking Stewie look curiously at Brian. "Sooooo, are you really going to bring that... _her_ here?"

"Are you going to be at dinner tonight?"

Stewie paused unsure of what Brian was getting at by ignoring his question, but decided to answer what was asked of him. "It all depends on whether _she's_ here."

"Then, no. I'm not."

Stewie's mouth dropped open, but he quickly snapped it shut again. "Why would you not bring your whore here based on whether I'm there or not?"

Again Brian sighed and stared seriously into Stewie's eyes. "Do you really think that you mean so little to me that I would do something that would hurt you like that just because Lois tells me to?"

This time Stewie couldn't be bothered with something as trivial as closing his mouth. "Well... I'd have thought-"

"Look, Stewie, I'm not going to have you do without just because Lois can't understand your feelings for me. It isn't fair what she asking of me, and I'm not going to hurt you just to make her happy."

He couldn't move. He could barely breathe. And he, absolutely, couldn't feel anything. Not his shaking body, or the tears flowing in buckets down his face. But Stewie knew as he stood there, undoubtedly looking like a fool, that THIS was the best feeling in the world. Stewie felt himself sink to the floor not even bothering to acknowledge the pain such an action caused him.

"Stewie, are you alright?" Brian's quiet panicked voice brought him out of his dream-like trance.

Before he could even register what he was saying the words were coming out of his mouth. "I love you, Brian. So very very much."

Brian watched him for a moment before reaching out and wiping away some of the many tears that had fallen from his eyes these past couple of days. His hand shook slightly, but he smiled when Stewie closed his eyes against the soft touch. "I love you too, Stewie." He replied quietly.


End file.
